Envelop-moistener.



M. J. SLINEY. ENVELOP MOISTENER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1913.

Patented J ans 1 6 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 1:13.. WASHINGTON, IL'C.

MIGHAEL J- sw m, or ST- JOHN, uewrauNswmr, CANADA- ENYELQP-MQISTENEB- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914:.

Application filed May 24, 1913. Serial No. 769;700.

To all whom it may concern Be it lmown that I, MICHAEL J; SLInnY, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at St. John, Province of New Brunswick, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Moisteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'relates to envelop moisteners, and has .as its object to provide a moistener which may be quickly and conveniently used in moisteningthe sealing flaps of envelops, or in moistening stamps, or the like.

A further aim of the invention is to so construct the moistener that no more than the required amount of water will be applied to the envelop flap, stamp, or the like, moistened thereby.

Another aim of the invention is to provide, in an envelop moistener of that type including a fiat moistening pad, means for pressing the sealing flap of an envelop to be moistened against the pad, as the flap'is moved thereover, so as to properly moisten the flap without, however, "applying too much water thereto.

Another aim of the invention is to provide in a moistener of the type mentioned, means for holding the pad in place, which means may be readily manipulated to release the pad and permit of its reversal or the substitution of a new pad.

The invention also has as an object to so construct the moistener that should the pad surplus water will drain back into the reservoir from which it was taken up by the pad. Still further the invention aims to pro vide for a continuous passage of water through the pad by capillary attraction.

For a full'understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which a Figure l is a perspective view of the moistener embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 33 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Gorrespondingand "like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

In the drawing the reservoir, pad, and support therefor are illustrated as housed within a box like casing, the vertical walls of which are indicated by the numeral 1, the bottom by the numeral 2, andthe top by the numeral 3, the latter being hinged to the rear wall 1, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The walls 1 are provided with flanges 4 which project a slight distance above the upper edges thereof and which are turned inwardly to form supporting portions 5.

The reservoir of the device is preferably formed of sheet-metal and includes side walls 6, end-walls 7 and a bottom 8. The upper edges of the side and end-walls of the reservoir are overturned as indicated at 9 so as to provide a pad extending around the top of the reservoir, which pad is designed to rest upon the supporting portions 5'of the flanges 4 whereby to support the reservoir within the box and spaced above the bottom thereof. By reference to Fig. 2

. of the drawing it will be observed that the bottom 8 is inclined from end to end and that there is provided a partition 10 which extends vertically within the reservoir and divides the same into chambers 11 and 12,

I the chamber indicated at 11 being relatively shallow and the one indicated at 12 being relatively deep due to the inclination of the bottom 8 of the reservoir.

The reservoir is provided with a top which constitutes also a support for the moiste'ning' pad and this top or closure is preferably formed from sheet metal and is indicatedby the numeral 13. At each end absorb a considerable amount of water,the

, 13 is formed with a longitudinally extending shallow depression 18 in which is received the intermediate portion of the pad which is indicated at 19. This pad 19 is preferably in the nature of a flat wick and is of course formed from material capable of absorbing and carrying w'ater'by capillary attraction.

Secured to and depending from the under side of the top 13 are supporting plates indi-.

cated one by the numeral 20 and the other by the numeral 21, the said plates extended respectively into the chambers 11 and 12 and the plate 21 being of greater length than the plate 20. The end portions ofthe pad 19 are held against the said plates 20 and 21 in a manner which will now be explained. Supporting bails 22 are securedone upon each of the plates 20 and 21 and pivotally mounted upon each of the bails is a clamping member 23. 'having ;a,finger-press 24 by means of which it may be swung into and out of engagement with the end of the pad 19 disposed against the respective one of said supporting plates.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that the clamping members are designed to hold the end portions of the pad 19 against the supporting plates and that'the end portion of the pad which extends into the chamber 12 depends below its respective supporting plate and reaches nearly to the bottom of the reservoir. At this point it will be apparent that the clamping members 23 may be swung out of position to confine the ends of the pad whereupon the pad may be removed or its position may be shifted, depending upon circumstances.

In order that the envelop flap to be moistened may be pressed against the surface of the pad, as it is moved across the same, there is provided a presser finger which is indicated at 25 and which is pivoted as at 26 at therear side of the top 13. The pivot for the presser finger is formed from a suitable length of resilient wire bent between its ends to form the pivot portion 26 and to form spaced side portions 27 the terminals of which are secured as at 28 to the under side of the said top 13. The portions 27 adjacent the pivot portion 26 are bent to extend upwardly as at 29 and through openings 30 formed in the said top. The portions 27 between theirrsecured ends and upwardly extending portions 29, are bowed to extend downwardly from the under surface of the top and have a tendency to so move. The presser finger 25 is provided at its pivoted end with a depending tongue 81 which is designed to ride over the surface of the top 13 and the tongue is so angularly positioned that when the finger is swung downwardly and. forwardly the end of the tongue will ride beneath the pivot portion 26 and due to the resiliency of the spaced portions 27 and the fact that the tongue has passed beyond the vertical line of the pivot, the finger 25 will be held firmly against the pad 19. The free end of the finger 25 is rolled as indicated at 32 so as to afford a finger-piece which maybe readily engaged by the finger without touching the pad 19, for the purpose of swinging the finger 25 upwardly and out of engagement against the surface of the said pad.

In using the moistener the chamber 11 is nearly filled with water and the cover 13 is then fitted into place. The pad 19 may be moistened before placing the cover or the moistener may be allowed to stand for a length of time during which the pad will absorb water from the said chamber. In

either event the flap to be moistened is drawn over the surface of the pad, gummed sidev down, and beneath the finger 25, the said finger serving to press the flap against the pad to such extent as to allow the pad to properly moisten the gummed flap but to prevent an undue deposit of water upon the fiap. The water taken up by the right-hand end of the pad in Fig. 2 of the drawings will travel the length of the pad and will drip upon the left-hand end thereof and will collect in the chamber 12. When all of the water has been absorbed from the chamber 11 the reservoir may be removed from the case and the water emptied from the chamber 12 and fresh water introduced into the chamber 11, whereupon the parts are rearranged for use.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the class described, noncommunicating chambers, a cover for the chambers, the cover having supporting members depending therefrom, one into each of the chambers, a moistening pad supported upon the cover and extending across the same and having its end portions extending into the chambers, and means for holding the said portions against the supporting members.

2. In a device of the class described, noncommunicating chambers, a cover for the chambers, supporting plates carried by the cover and extending one into each of the chambers, a clamp cooperating with each of the supporting plates, and a moistening pad supported by the cover and extending across the same and having its end-portions extending downwardly one into each of the chambers and held by said clamps against the respective supporting plates.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. MICHAEL J. SLINEY. [1 s.]

Witnesses:

ELLEN M. Bowns,

MARY I-I. SLINEY.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

